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Growing long and strong nails is a multi-step process. As long as you take good care of your nails, you can grow them to the length you desire. You need to start by making sure you stop bad nail habits. After that, taking appropriate vitamins and manicuring properly will help you grow long, strong nails.

Steps

Part 1

Stopping Bad Habits

1

Stop biting your nails. Biting your nails is detrimental to your health. Although a regular nervous habit for many, it can cause bacterial skin infections on your hands and in your mouth. If you have dry or loose skin around your nail beds, make sure to clip them away rather than biting them off.[1]

Chew gum when you’re bored. If you don't have access to gum, play with a small ball, coin, etc.

Don't bite the skin around your nails. You may convince yourself that by only biting the skin around your nails, you're not actually harming the nail. This is false and will only cause your nails to weaken through the added moisture from saliva and make your nails prone to breaking.

Choose one nail a week that you won’t bite. Gradually add more “no-bite” nails to wean yourself off of the habit.

Consider talking to a therapist about anxiety, or something else that may be causing you to bite your nails, if your nail biting is severe.

2

Stop wearing acrylics and gels. Rushed removal of acrylic or gel nails leaves your nails dry, brittle, and unlikely to grow. Even proper removal can damage your nails because it occurs with soaked nail-beds. When your nail beds are wet, they are most sensitive.[2]

If you wish to get gel or acrylic manicures, try alternating. Get a traditional manicure between your gel or acrylic manicure.

3

Stop picking at your chipped polish. Picking at your polish often removes the top layer of your nail bed. This forms a weak base for your nails.[3]

4

Stop skipping base coats and top coats. It is easy to skip base coats or top coats when you’re in a hurry and want your polish to dry fast. However, when you skip these, you’re damaging your nail. They protect your nails from staining; plus, they help the polish adhere to your nails, so that it chips less. If it chips less, you’re less likely to pick at it and further damage your nails.[4]

Carry pre-moistened nail polish remover packets in your purse for quick removal when your nails start to chip. This way, you won’t have to worry about picking at your nails.

5

Stop using your nails as tools. Peeling labels, scrapping glue, or unfastening a key ring are all things that can easily damage or break your nails. You might not even realize you’re doing it, but if you want to grow strong nails, you need to start to notice. Also try to keep your nails out of water for too long. This can soften the nail and make it weak and flexible.

The best way to stop this is to slow down. Have scissors available, or another tool, to help you open, scrape, or peel anything you need during the day.Avoid doing activities that will cause your nail to bend. Keep clear nail polish on nails to avoid biting your nails.

Part 2

Getting Proper Vitamins

1

Get plenty of Vitamin H (biotin). Biotin promotes the growth and strength of nails, hair, and skin. Aim to consume between 30 and 40 micrograms per day either through food or supplements. Whole grains, mushrooms, bananas, salmon, and avocado are all great sources of biotin.[5]

2

Eat foods with folic acid. Folic acid, or Vitamin B9, helps prevent damage to your nerve cells and keeps red blood cells healthy. It is the best vitamin for nail growth, and it is impossible to intake to much because your body naturally excretes the excess. Fish, red meat, cheese, and fortified soy products are high in folic acid.

3

Consume Vitamin A. Vitamin A is going to help the strengthening of your nails. The daily recommended dose is between 700 and 900 micrograms a day. Sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, and leafy greens are rich in Vitamin A.[6]

4

Get plenty of Vitamin C. Vitamin C is most commonly known for aiding in immune health. This means that it helps recovery inside the body. This recovery helps promote nail growth and gives them strength. Oranges, kale, strawberries, and bell peppers are high in Vitamin C.

Part 3

Manicuring Properly

1

Shape and care for your base. In order to grow you nails long and strong, you need to start with a proper base. This means you need clean and healthy nails to begin with. File them into shape and keep your cuticles trimmed.

File them properly. Start from the outside edge and file toward the center. Going back and forth in a repetitive motion will weaken your nails.[7]

Choose the right nail shape to promote growth. A basic round shape is easier to grow out. If you shape a square nail, you’re more likely to use it as a tool.

2

Care properly for your cuticles. Soak your nails in warm water for 5 minutes to loosen your cuticles. Put a cuticle remover on your nails and use a cuticle stick to push the dead skin back. Rinse off the remover and debris. Do this up to 4 times a week.

For added cuticle health, put hyaluronic acid on and around your cuticles after pushing them back.

Community Q&A

Heat 1 tablespoon of almond oil (for shiny nails), 1 tablespoon of olive oil (for stronger nails), and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil (for thicker nails and strong and healthy cuticles) in a glass bowl until warm. Apply overnight or soak nails for 30 minutes at least 3 times a day. You can also store this in an empty and clean nail polish bottle if applying on the go or overnight.

You can use any oil you would use for cooking. Olive oil is just as good as coconut oil. Canola oil works too. You can also use hand cream or lotion to keep your hands, cuticles, and nails moisturized.

Don't use them as tools. They are much more likely to chip and tear this way. Overall, just be careful using your nails to pick up things, especially heavy things. As your nails grow stronger they will be less likely to chip or tear.

Put some olive oil and coconut oil in an old nail polish bottle, along with some lemon juice and vitamin e or d oil. You can apply this to your nails as a natural cuticle oil.

Keep your nails painted. This stops them from breaking during the day. If you notice your nail bending along with the polish, file it.

Use nail polish without acetone if possible because it is better for your skin.

Leave cuticles alone! They are there to protect from fungus and infection. It has been scientifically proven that they make no difference to nail growth.

Never use salt on nails! It's very bad for them.

Petroleum jelly can lock in moisture and protect your nails from some environmental hazards. If you put petroleum jelly on your nails every night for a month, this may help them grow to be longer and stronger.

Never use olive oil. This just sits on the skin and nail. Only use 100% jojoba oil as this is the closest oil to what we naturally produce and it will be absorbed quickly and produce growth.

When filing your nails don’t trim/file them too low. Doing so may cause irritation around the tips of your nails and potentially prevent growth.

To grow long, strong nails, try eating foods that have lots of folic acid, like fish, red meat, and cheese, since folic acid is the best vitamin for nail growth. Additionally, make sure to include biotin-rich foods in your diet, like whole grains, bananas, and avocados, because biotin also promotes strong, healthy nails. Then, clean and file your nails in a basic, round shape, and apply a strengthening cream or polish. You should also avoid using your nails to open, peel, or scrape things, which can easily damage or break your nails. For tips on how to use nail polish to help your nails grow long and strong, keep reading!

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Co-Authored By:

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Co-authors: 159

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Views: 1,976,723

87% of readers found this article helpful.

73 votes - 87%

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87% of people told us that this article helped them.

SJ

Sushmita Jain

Jan 27

"Due to information given above, my nails grew within one week. Thanks for helping us."

A

Anonymous

Sep 29, 2018

"I've been needing to grow out my nails for a Halloween look, but my nails were pretty short. I tried most of the recommendations in this article, and my nails are already a centimeter or two longer!"..." more

Rated this article:

AN

Arielle Nelson

Jul 5, 2017

"I recently got acrylics for a huge event I was hosting. I decided to keep them for a month, then a few days ago, I decided that they were really bad for my nails. I picked one off the other day. Today, I broke another. I need to get these nails grown back in ten days and so far, the recommendations are working. Thank you!"..." more

Rated this article:

BE

Brynn Erickson

Oct 16, 2016

"I liked how you added that the extra virgin olive oil really helped. I appreciate that, because it is easy for people who cant afford pricey gels and serums. I also liked that you added pros and cons of different products throughout the information. Thanks."..." more

BM

B. Mack

Aug 19, 2017

"I bite my nails all the time, and when I read this I stopped. It's really hard to let go of a bad habit, but it was for my nails. I found all of these nail treatments around my house, so it's a win/win for both me and my nails."..." more

Rated this article:

LB

Lougin Badwy

Jun 25, 2016

"Since I have strong and healthy nails and I try to do everything I possibly can to help them grow, a lot of these steps weren't so new to me. But the ones that were new to me actually helped me an awful lot. Thank you!"..." more

DM

Destinee Maholmes

Jun 5, 2017

"Now I know that I can't bite the skin around my nail. I'm definitely going to try all of the tips for growing my nails. I really want long nails, but I just can't stop biting them. Thank you so much for the tips!"..." more

Rated this article:

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Alison Smith

Jan 3, 2017

"The information you provided about the best vitamins and diet for weak, flaky nails was great! Also, which oils and creams etc. were the most effective to massage them, for maximum moisturization. Many thanks!"..." more

PT

Penny Tirado

Nov 24, 2017

"Most of the tips are good. However, what I have found really works is a good diet and vitamins on a regular basis. My nails have been so strong and grow so fast, I cannot keep up with them."..." more

Rated this article:

DB

Delores Buchanon

May 26, 2017

"My nails look so bad and I did not know what to do! They keep breaking, they are soft, just ugly. They used to look nice. I read all of your ways to help fix them, I really hope it works."..." more

Rated this article:

GM

Gia Marie

Jun 25, 2017

"This was very helpful in telling me the way I should properly care for my nails. This worked to grow mine. No joke, my nails are long, strong, and more resilient. This was truly helpful."..." more

Rated this article:

VE

Vickey Elliott

Apr 22, 2017

"The most helpful part was alternative household products substituted for expensive oils and lotions. Great advice from people who have first hand experience of using these items."..." more

Uwei

Jan 1, 2018

"Well, this article gave me the right amount of information, and it's awfully helpful!!! Any question I thought of already had an excellent answer. Brilliant article!!!!"..." more

Rated this article:

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Anonymous

Jun 14, 2017

"I've been doing research for stuff like this and a lot of it I didn't know. I have this stuff at home. I havent tried anything yet, but it seems trustable. Thank you."..." more

CG

Cherrie Ghali

Aug 27, 2017

"Thanks to wikiHow and the contributors who made this article useful with tips, remedies and specific instructions, as well as what products to use. Much appreciated."..." more

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Carolyn Thompson-Mew

May 22, 2017

"I think if I follow this guide, within months my nails will be longer. Thanks to whoever created this nail growth guide, I'll be needing it in the long run."..." more

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Faith Pellett

Jun 21, 2017

"I really needed advice because my nails are very short. I wanted to grow them and you guys gave me great ideas that are going to help me, thank you!"..." more

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A. C.

Jun 16, 2017

"This helped me to grow my nails, and it has given me a lot of advice. Thank you very much, I will try to follow these rules, as I want long nails."..." more

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Ally Henderson

Jun 14, 2017

"I like that you said to use extra virgin oil, because I would never think of it! The creams can be pricey and I saved a lot of money."..." more

PD

P. D.

Apr 26, 2017

"This helped me because my nails are really unhealthy and it told me how to get the back to being healthy and what to use to do that."..." more

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Anonymous

Jun 1, 2017

"This taught me a lot about caring for nails because I use to always damage my nails by doing the stuff that I'm not supposed to do."..." more

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Brooklyn Star

Jul 18, 2017

"I bite my nails a lot but after reading this I stopped biting my nails and now they look beautiful. You should try this too."..." more

KS

Kaylin Shaw

Jul 23, 2016

"I like the Q&A; it's nice to know that even if I don't have a certain type of oil or cream there are other options."..." more

TK

Tove Kinnunen

Aug 2, 2016

"Everything is very detailed and easy to follow. You give very good concrete tips, and I can't wait to follow them."

BG

Babs Gregory

Jan 24, 2017

"Trying to grow my natural nails. Happy to learn that coconut oil is great for cuticles, as I have a ton of it."

JW

Julianna Whitfield

Jun 1, 2017

"OMG, this helped me so much!! I am so happy I saw this, it is so helpful. Thank you so much for sharing this!"

Rated this article:

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Rose Smith

Jun 15, 2017

"I have a super-bad habit of biting my nails, and this is giving me ideas of how to keep them nice and strong."